Double overtime fun at Sidney

SIDNEY, Neb. — The snowy Tuesday welcomed a whirlwind of double-overtime fun for those inside watching McCook and Chase County battle in Sidney Holiday Tournament semifinals.

Clay Meeske, Cedric Maxwell and Jake German all hit huge shots to keep the Longhorns’ title hopes from sliding into oblivion.

However, no one could match McCook’s Mr. Clutch: junior Cole Cappel.

Cappel heard the winter wake-up call just in time as he scored all 13 of his points during fourth quarter and both overtimes.

With Cappel’s five quick points starting the second OT, McCook finally took that momentum to a 62-60 win over those equally determined Longhorns.

Chase (4-5 record) still had one final shot which could have forced three overtimes, but it fell short and McCook (4-4) advanced into Wednesday’s championship game.

The Bison have won three straight while also avenging a brutal 61-44 season-opening defeat against Chase on Dec. 4.

Sophomore Evan Humphrey netted 19 points for McCook to follow his career-best 24 vs. the Mitchell Tigers on Monday.

Humphrey’s final long-distance three gave the Bison a 48-45 only to see Meeske answer with another game-tying triple.

Senior Mark Arp made two free throws for another advantage of 51-48.

However, German buried the big shot to force a 51-51 deadlock through one overtime period.

No problem. Cappel quickly stole the basketball from a Longhorn and finished his driving lay-up.

The Longhorns couldn’t answer this time before Cappel’s first of two final three-pointer daggers. He stepped back behind the arc for a second shot and 59-55 Bison advantage.

McCook promptly finished the win easier but missed 20 of 28 free throws, according to available statistics. Humphrey did hit two final charity shots which was just enough to hold off Maxwell’s late heroics.

The Longhorns led 23-19 at halftime and 34-32 after three quarters on Maxwell’s buzzer-beating basket.

German scored inside to make it 36-32 before Humphrey hit the fifth of his six three-pointers. Junior Brendan Gillen’s driving dynamite assist to teammate Cameron Werkmeister then set up McCook for a 37-36 advantage.

Yet following some missed free throws, Maxwell and Meeske both lit up long-range bombs to force the first overtime at 45-45.

McCOOK (62) — Sophomore Evan Humphrey’s 19 points paced the McCook boys with junior Cole Cappel adding 13, senior Ty Stevens nine and another eight from senior Mark Arp.

CHASE COUNTY (60) — Senior Cedric Maxwell tallied a game-high 23 points and Clay Meeske added 13 for the Longhorns.

Chase County 36, Gordon-Rushville 31

The Longhorns rebounded to rally and win Wednesday’s Sidney Holiday Tournament third-place game.

Gordon-Rushville (5-4) took a 10-4 lead through one quarter. Chase County heated up but still trailed until a 15-8 final period secured the comeback victory.

No Longhorn individual stats were obtained.

Chase County resumes its season Tuesday evening when the Dundy County-Stratton Tigers will visit Imperial